Method and means of applying partial coatings to articles



Oct. 24, 1933- E GR|EVE 1,932,158

METHOD AND MEANS OF APPLYING PARTIAL COATINGS TO ARTICLES Filed Aug. 5,1951' GOO GOO

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THO/ms E GR/EVE Patented Oct. 24, 1933 METHOD AND MEANSY'OF APPLYINGPARTIAL COATINGS 'roARTIcLEs Thomas E. Grieve, Corning, N. 1 assignor toThe Gorton Chocolate Company, Corning, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication August 5, 1931. Serial No. 555,305

2.2 Claims.

This invention relates to article coating, with reference moreespecially to candy manufacture and is intended to provide acommercially practical method or process and means of applying a merepartial or part-way coating to such articles in large-quantityproduction.

The manufacture of coated candies and confections has of course beencommon for a long time and there is nothing new per se in a partiallycoated product nor in a wholly coatedproduct. Moreover, various machineshave been developed to perform the work of coating these articles, somewith considerable efiiciency, but most of such machines are adapted tocoat the articles either all over or else on top (or bottom) only and noreally satisfactory way of accomplishing a mere partial coating thereofhas heretofore been devised, other than the tedious meth- 0d ofhand-dipping which is too slow and expensive for practical commercialpurposes. In providing a way to accomplish this partial coating at arate and at a cost comparable to that of present machine practice infull or mere bottom coating, as will appear, the invention is believedto be a distinct advance and desirable contribution in the art.

It will be best understood by further description with reference to theattached drawing,

illustrating the method along with one practicable embodiment of meansfor carrying it into effect, the latter being shown in the form of anattachment to an ordinary known type of coating machine.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view representation of a conventional type of machinewith attachments embodying and adapted to perform the method of theinvention;

fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of a portion of this machine betterillustrating certain of the principal features involved; and p Fig. 3 isa plan view representation of the same portion of the machine, withparts broken away.

Briefly stated, the method consists in passing the articles through apuddle or wash of the coating substance at a depth covering them thedesired extent, while supplying and counter-draining the puddle in amanner to maintain it at such depth and to cause 'a circulation orflowage trend "thereof in direction and with force to counteractflotation or dislodgment influences upon the ar- 1 forced jet or streamdischarge of the coating subticles during the passage therethrough.

This and very simple means by which it may The mediumpf passing thearticles through said treatment is advantageously provided by a movingreticular surface, such as an endless driven open-mesh wire belt 4, onwhich the articles illustrative example constitute the main conveyorelement of an ordinary coating; machine 5 to which the invention isshown applied, in which case its utilization for the purpose of thedifferent method involved would-require a shut-off of feed to themachines normal discharge head (not shown). 7

As common to machines of the kind, a cooperating endless feed b'elt 6 atthe forward end, upon which the articlesare desirably pre-arranged inlongitudinal rows provides for continuous suc cessional depositorythereonto. A similar belt 7 at the other end may receive the articlestherefrom after coating for conveyance to a packing or gathering table(not shown). tioned belt is advantageously passed through or deliverableto a. cooling chamber, represented by the hood'8, for the purpose ofsettling or hardening the coatings before final delivery to said table;

are placed. This surface or belt may as in the The last-men- Passagej asaforesaid through a puddle or ,wash, deepenough'for the desired coatingis ordinarily liable to float or dislodge the articles from theconveying surface. According tothis method however, such happening isprevented by supplying and draining the puddle in manner generating aflowage thereof overbalancing these forces. For such purpose, it isveryap'propriate- 1y formed byan overflow from a tr'oughlike wire belt,preferably between supporting rollers ll) therefor, so that the overflowwill occur through the belt to the desired level thereabove.

'Packing '11 extending around the top edge of the receptacle serves toclose any gap spaceand compel the overflow above rather than below thebelt as also to minimize wear, while belt-supsented by x. The escape ordrain of this overflowis of course taught and returned into the supplysystem of the apparatus or machine, in this instance by a pan and partof the casing shown under the receptacle.

The supply to said overflow is preferably by stancethereinto. This isshown effected through a single line series of nozzles 12 pending from ahead '13: directly over, the receptacle above receptacle 9 supportedclose under the aforesaid I the conveying belt and therethroughexpelling into the former. These nozzles, having flowregulatory meansrepresented at 14 and elevation adjustment means indicated at 15 arespaced apart sufficiently for the articles moving in rows on said beltto pass therebetween or between the jets of substance dischargingtherethrough. Associated means such as illustrated by the wires 16 mayadvantageously be provided to guide the articles all the way through thepuddle or overflow area.

The aforesaid nozzles of course connect with a source of coatingsubstance supply while the discharge therethrough is preferably byforce-pump action. In this instance the connection is made by piping 17between their head (13) and the supply-circulating system or feed line18 of the machine (5) to which the invention is applied. A continuousfeed by action of said machines circulating pump 19 is accordinglyassured. Its shut-off through normaldischarge channels is convenientlyeffected by a valve 20 placed in the feed line beyond the tap connectionthereonto.

It will be obvious that the depth'of the puddle formed by the overflowfrom the receptacle will depend upon the volume and force of dischargethereinto. Accordingly, the extent of the article coating may becontrolled by regulation of the pump action andnozzle flow, a variationbeing obtainable through either.

While the drainage is laterally over the edges of the receptacle abovethe belt level, the force of discharge from above will create a downwardcurrenttrend with lateral component stronger than the upward escapeflow, thereby overbalancing or counteracting any flotation ordislodgment influences upon the articles passing through the puddle andso hold them down upon the conveying surface. This current trend orcirculation within the body of the puddle is indicated by the arrows inFig. 2 of the drawing. The jets of substance discharging through thenozzles and striking the sides of the articles will assist in thusholding them down upon the conveying surface as also to assist in thecoating thereof. The height of the articles to be coated will suggestthe distance at whichsaid nozzles should be elevated above the belt.Generally,

their ends should extend down below the tops of the articles. Ifelevated too high thereabove, the articles are likely to'and may becoated all over. On the other hand, only the bottoms thereof willreceive a coatingif the nozzles are lowered close to the conveying beltand the discharge therethrough is moderated to create a very shallowpuddle.

A commercially practical method of applying a mere partial or part-waycoating to articles in large-quantity production is thus provided. Itsadvantages will be readily apparent to those familiar with industrialcandy manufacture.

V 1 Obviously moreover, the invention may be carried out in various waysand by various instrustance in the puddle in direction and force to holdthe articles down on said surface while passing through the puddle.

2. The process of coating the bottoms and sides 'of articles with aliquid substance, which consists during passage through the pool.

3. The process of coating the bottoms and sides of articles with aliquid substance, which consists in passing the articles on a movingsurface through a puddle of the substance of a depth to only partiallysubmerge the same and supplying the substance to the puddle in a mannerto maintain it at said depth and cause a circulation or flowage trendthereof in direction and forcev to counteract flotation or, dislodgmentinfluences upon the articles, during the entire passage through thepuddle. f I 7 l. A process of coating the bottoms and sides of articleswith a liquid substance, characterized by passing the articles. on amoving surface through a puddle of thesubstance at a depth less than theheight or thickness of the articles, and holding the articlesundislodged upon the surface by currents of supply'and counter dischargeof the substance in the puddle during the passage therethrough.

5. A process of coating the bottoms and sides of articles with a liquidsubstance, characterized 6. In a method of partially coating articleswith a liquid substance, the expedient of passing the articles on amoving surface between discharging jets of the substance impinging thereagainst below their tops holding the articles firmly on the surfaceduring such passage by force of the jet discharge and currents ofdownward flow of the substance maintained in a counterwithdrawal thereofbelow the jets. i

l. A process of coating articles with a liquid substance, characterizedby conveying the articles on a moving surfacethrough a puddle of the;

substance while discharging jets of the same thereagainst and holdingthe article firmly on said surface during the passage through the puddleby force of the jet discharge and flowage of the substance therebelowin-predominately down- -21 ward currents maintained by a simultaneousdrainage of the, puddle in counter-balance with such discharge. I v i 8.In a method of coating candy articles and the like, the improvementwhich consists in pass- 1 ing the articles on a moving surface through apool of the coating substance ata depth for the v desired extent ofcoating the same, and maintaining currents of supply and drain-flowageof the substance in the pool in direction and withforce to counteractfloatationor dislodgment influences on the articles during the entirepassage therethrough. V

9. In a method of coating candy, the improvement which consists inpassing the candy. on amoving surface through a puddle of the coatingsubstance at a depth for the desired extent of coating, while supplyingand vcounteredraining the puddle so as to maintain currents therein indirection and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment influenceson the candy during the entire passage therethrough. 1

10. A process of coating onlythe bottoms and sides of articles with aliquid substance, char= aoterized by placing the articles .on a movablesurface, moving the surface with the articles thereon through a puddlearea,'and.maintaining a puddle of the substance within said area at adepth to only partially submerge the articles and with currents ofsupply and drainage in direction and force to hold the articlesundislodged upon said surface while moving through the puddle. 1

11. A process of coating articles with a liquid substance, whichconsists in placing the articles on a movable surface, passing thesurface with the articles thereon through a puddle area, and maintaininga puddle of the substance within said area at a predetermined depthaccording to the extent of coating desired by a counter-balanced supplyand drainage setting up currents of flow therein in direction and forceto hold the articles against floatation or dislodgment on the surfacewhile passing entirely through the puddle.

12. The method of coating articles with a liquid substance, whichconsists in conveying the articles on a surface over an open receptaclecaused to overflow a supply of the substance in formation of a puddlethereabove at a level to which the coating is desired and supplying anddraining the puddle in a manner to maintain currents of flow therein indirection and force to counteract floatation or dislodgment of thearticles in the entire passage through the puddle.

13. The method of coating articles with a liquid substance, whichconsists in conveying the articles on a reticular surface betweenspaced' downwardly discharging nozzles and over an open ended receptacletherebelow caused to overflow a supply of the substance to a level abovesaid surface forming a paddle of a depth for the desired coating throughwhich the articles are passed, supplying the substance through saidnozzles and simultaneously draining the puddle so as to keep it at saidlevel and maintain currents of flowage therein in direction and force tocounteract flotation or dislodgment influences on the articles duringthe passage therethrough.

14. The method of coating the bottoms and part of the sides of articleswith a liquid substance,

which consists in conveying the articles on a moving surface through apuddle of the substance while supplying the puddle through spaced dis-'charge nozzles thereover between which the articles are passed with anassisted or certain amount of coating therefrom and draining the puddlein substantial equalization with the supply rate so as to maintaincurrents of flowage therein in direction and force to counteractfloatation or dislodgment influences on the articlesduring passagetherethrough; the extent or height of the side coating of the articlesbeing dependent essentially upon the depth of the puddle and the depthof the puddle being governable by the volume and rate of its supply andcounterdrainage.

15. The method of applyinga mere partial or partway coating of a liquidsubstance to articles,

which consists in passing the articles through a puddle of the substanceat a depth to cover them the desired extent, while supplying andcounterdraining the puddle in a manner to keep it at such depth andmaintain currents of flowage therein in direction and force tocounteract floatation or dislodgment influences upon the articles duringthe passage therethrough.

16. In an article coating machine including a flat-surface conveyor forthe articles to be coated, a receptacle having an open end supportedunder theconveyor and adapted to overflow thereabove in formation of apuddle of the coating substance, means for supplying the receptacle withthe substance at a rate to cause its overflow and maintain a puddle atthe desired level above said conveyor passing the articles therethrough,and means for maintaining currents of the substance supply and drainagein the puddlein direction and force to counteract floatation ordislodgment influences on the articles during the entire passage throughthe puddle.

1'7. In an article coating machine, means for conveying the articlesalong a straight path, means for forming a puddle of the coatingsubstance over the surface'of the conveyor through which the conveyedarticles must pass with coating by submergence therein, means forsupplying the substance so as to form and maintain a puddle of thedesired depth upon said surface, and

means for maintaining currents of the substance supply and drainage inthe puddle in direction and force to counteract floatation ordislodgment influences on the articles during their entire passagetherethrough.

18. In an article coating machine, a reticular conveyor for thearticles,an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of nozzlesarranged over said receptacle and above the conveyor so as to dischargethrough the latter into the former, means for forcing a supply of thecoating substance through said nozzles and means maintaining an overflowof the supply from the receptacle throughand to a level above the con-'veyor in formation of a puddle with currents of said supply and overflowin direction and force to counteract floatation orldislodgmentinfluences upon the articles while passing with the conveyor entirelythrough the puddle.

19. In an article-coating machine, a reticular conveyor for thearticles, an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series ofnozzles arranged over said receptacle and above the conveyor so as todischarge through the latter into the former, means for forcing asupplyv of the coating substance through said nozzles and means adaptingthe receptacle to overflow through and to a level above the conveyor soasto form a puddle in which currents of the supply and overflow aremaintained in direction and force to counteract floatation ordislodgment influences on the articles during passage entirelytherethrough, the depth of said puddle being governable by the volumeand rate of supply force through said nozzles.

20. In combination with an article coating machine having a reticularconveyor for the articles and means for forcing a supply of the coatingmaterial to a discharge point; an attachment for coating only thebottoms and part of the sides of the articles, comprising an open receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of nozzles arranged abovethe conveyor to discharge therethrough into said receptacle, means fordiverting the force of coating substance supply into and through saidnozzles, and means for maintaining an Overflow of the receptacle throughand to a level above the conveyor in formation of a puddle withcurrents. of the supply and overflow therein in direction and force tocounteract flotation or dislodgment influences on the articles duringpassage therethrough with the conveyor. j

21. In combination with an article coating machine having a reticularflat-surface conveyor for the articles and means for forcing a supply'ofthe coating material to a discharge point; an attachment for coatingonly the bottoms and part of the sides of the articles, comprising anopen receptacle supported under the conveyor, a series of spaced nozzlesarranged above the conveyor to discharge therethrough into saidreceptacle, means for diverting the force of coating submachine. l

. 22. An article-coating machine attachment according to claim 19,wherein the nozzles are adjustable in end elevation above the conveyorand include means for regulating the flow therethrough.

. i THOMASE; GRIEVE.

